The invention relates to the obtaining of a digitized overall radiographic picture of an object from a succession of partially overlapping initial radiographic pictures taken from different points of view.
The invention applies advantageously, but without implying any limitation, to the pictures acquired in the course of an arteriography of the lower limbs, or in the course of a radiography of the spine from successive images acquired along the vertebral column.
Hardening, stenosis and blocking of the arteries of the lower limbs are detected during a vascular examination of all of the two limbs.
One conventional solution consists in employing an arteriophlebography drum which, on each of its faces, has a cassette of radiological film having a length of approximately 1.20 m. Exposing the patient to X-radiation therefore makes it possible to obtain an overall picture of the lower limbs directly. However, such a solution requires the use of bulky equipment.
Furthermore, a more recent solution consists in using successive films of smaller size (35.times.35) combined with a programmed advance table. The radiologist can then monitor the progress of the contrast product flowing through the blood vessels of the lower limbs, for example. The various images are then cut manually to avoid overlaps and are repasted manually to reconstruct an image with a total length of 1.20 m, allowing the leg to be viewed in its entirety.
Such a solution therefore requires the handling of films when the radiologist wishes to reconstruct a panoramic view of the legs.
The invention aims to provide a more satisfactory solution to the problem of obtaining an overall radiographic picture of an object from a succession of partially overlapping initial radiographic pictures taken from different points of view.